Motor control



c. T. CROCKER.

MOTOR CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED 'AUG.I5, 1918.

1 ,334, 1 34. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

Inventor:

ClarenceT. Crocker,

HIs fittorneg,

infirm) srariis PATENT ormon CLARENCE T. GRQCKER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A COREORATION OF NEW YORK.

Moron CONTROL.

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

Application filed August '15., 1918. Serial No. 250,050.

To n/l mi'm/r it may concern:

lie it known that LCninnNcn T. Onocnicn, a citizen of the U ited States, residing at Hcnenccr county of S henectady, State of New 1 )lk, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Control. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to controllers for electric motors and has for its object the provision of means whereby a controller may be limited to a slow nmvement or, ifv

desired, may be operated rapidly.

My invention relates more specifically to a cinitroller of the type which it is desired should be limited to a step-by-stcp forward movement, means being provided whereby, if desired, continuous movement may be substituted for the step-l y-step movement. In one embodiment of my invention I have provided a controller which is moved forward by the back-and-forth movement of the operating handle, one stop being taken each time the controller handle is moved back and forth or, if desired, the operator by applying more pressure to the operating handle may rapidly move the controller with a continuous movement of the operating handle. 7

My invention will be best understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying draw: ings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the controller with part of the mechanism broken away; Fig. 2 is a side viewof the same with the frame removed, and Figs. 3 and st show details of construction.

Referring to the drawings, is the operating handle pivoted controller shaft 11 is operated. eration takes place either slowly through the ratchet segment 12 to which is secured the gear 13 meshing with the pinion 1i on the controller shaft or through the gear sector 15 meshing with a pinion 16 on the controller shaft. It will be noted that there is a higher gear ratio between the sector 15 and pinion 16 than between the gear 13 and pinion 1-1, so in one case the controller is driven more rapidly for a given movement of the handle than in the other case. The handle 10 is secured to a frame composed of disks 1? and 18 pivoted at 10", the former having aflange 19 handle is secured by studs 20 which pass at 10 by which the This opbeing to which the through projections on the handle and aretapped onto the flange; The handle may be secured at various points around the flange 19 as shown. by the handle carries a pawl 21 which on gages with the teeth of ratchet sector 12. This pawl is mounted on a pin which is secured in lugs on the disks 17 and 18. The forward movement of the handle, there fore, will cause the pawl 21 to engage the ratchet sector 12 which will drive the controller shaft through the gear 13 and pinion 14. This operation may be continued by moving the handle 10 backward and forward in a well understood manner.

For operating the controller shaft 11 at a higher. speed by a continuous movement of the handle 10 the gear sector 15 is loosely mounted on the pivot shaft 10 which in turn is mounted in a stationary bracket 23. The shaft also carries the ratchet sector 12 and gear 13. This gear sector 15 is driven the handle through two stops 24; and 25 by secured on the inner side of the disk 17. These stops engage the ends of the sector 15 and push it either forward or backward depending upon which stop is in engagement. There is a lost motion between the stops and the gear which represents substantially the distance which the handle 10 moves when the handle is moved back and forth in ratcheting, and the pivoted handle, the frame with the stops, and the gear sector 15 comprises a lost motion driving con nection for moving the controller continuously at a higher rate of speed than when the handle is reciprocated. Upon further movement beyond the one ratchet step, the stop engages the sector and the controller is then driven at a higher speed with a continuous movement.

it will be understood, of course, that since the gears on the controller shaft are always in mesh with the operating gears, when the controller shaft is driven through one pair of gears the cont-roller shaft also drives the other pair of gears. words, suppose that the controller shaft is driven by the pawl through ratchet sector 12- and gears 13'and 14, the controller shaft is, of course, also turning. the gear sector 15', so that the gear sector .15 rotates at a faster rate than that at which the gear 13 is rotated. This makes it neces- The frame operated- In other I sary' that on the return. movement of the controller, whlch is accomplished by a continuous movement of the operating handle,

the pawl'2l be withdrawn from the ratchet segment so that the latter may return. The arrangement whereby this is accomplished is shown in Fig. 3, seen. that there is a pin 26 secured in the end of the gear sector 15 which pin engages a lug on the pawl 21 to force it out engagement with the teeth on the tchet sector 12 against the tension of a spring :17 which is seated between the lug on the pawl and the lug 28 on the disk 17. As the h andle returns, ther fore, the pawl will enga: with the pin 26 and be forced out of the path of the ratchet teeth so that the ratchet sector 12 which on the return inovem will be moving more rapidly than the gear sector 15, will be free to pass.

In order to insure that during the step by step forward movement of the controller, movement will be limited to a single step. upon each reciprocation of the handle, 1 have provided an arrangement shown in detail in Fig. l. This cludes a pawl 29- pivoted at 30 in the flange 19 of the disk l7. This pawl is adapted to engage teeth 30 of the stationary sector-.31. secured to the frame. This pawl has a tail picce32 which is engaged by a pin which lifts the pawl out of the path of the tr 30. The inner surface of this tail pie slightly eccentric so that as the pin 33 mo toward the pivoted center of the pawl tr e opposite end of the pawl which enga 'es the teeth will be lifted. Pin 33 is secured "-1 the gear sector 15 by means of an arm extending outwardly, the pin projecting through a slot 35 in the disk 17 to engage the pawl. The result is that as the handle is moved forward, the pawl will be lowered, since the tail piece gradually leaves the pin 33 and will finally be released en- .tirely so that the pawl will engage the tooth.

As the handle is moved backward, the pawl willbe again lifted by engaging with the pin. When the handle is moved forward the next time however, the pin 33 has moved forward somewhat, since it is connef 'ted n the gear sector 15, so that the pawl not be released until the first tooth is It will then drop into the second tooth. This operation may be continued, each reciprocation of the handle bringing the pawl into engagement with a succeeding tooth, and, consequently, permitting the handle to move forward step by step and hence driving the controller forward in the same u. I have provided a releasing handle 36pmvided with projection 37, which en, .7 similar projection 38 on the pawl. inis for the purpose of lifting the pawr out of engaging position with the teeth, so that if desired, the step-by-step movement will not from which it will be wise direction Fig. l).

arrangement in- 7 be forced upon the operator. In other words, if desired, he may by forcing the handle forward, move the controller shaft a higher speed through the gears and 16 with a continuous movement.

As thus constructed and arranged the op eration of my invention is as follows: Assume the parts in the position as shown in the drawings, the pawl 32 being released by the handle 56 so that it is in operative position, the pawl 2 will move forward. and engage a tooth on he ratchet sector 12 and carry the ratchet sector forward (in a clock;-

This will rotate the controller shaft through the l3 and pinion i l (in a counter clockwise direction. Fig. 1). As the handle moves forward the pawl 32, of course, moves forward, and although the pin 33 is also moving for ..ard slow y, the pawl is moving faster until finally, when the tooth on the pawl adjacent the first of the teeth the pawl is released and is locked against further movement by the first tooth 30. During this movement the stop 2i has approached the end of the gear sector but has not quite this movement the pawl 32 is again raised by engagement with the pin 83, but this time it will be observed that the pin having advanced somewhat during the previous forward movement of the handle will engage the tail piece of the pawl in a more forward PQSlLlOll. (ln the next step forward, therefore, the tail of the pawl will not be released when the pawl is adjacent the first tooth, but the pawl. will be kept raised until it comes adjacent the second tooth 30, so that the handle may now be moved forward a distance corresponding to the second tooth 30. As the handle 10 is moved back and forth this movement forward of the pawl, and consequently of the controller sha t continues step by step. 7 To return the controller to off position atter this step-by-step movement the handle 10 is moved in a counter clock-wise direction i a cent iuous movement. This movement of the handle causes the stop on the dish 7 to engage the end of t sector so re s r ovemcnt' is taking place, it will be noted that the arla is driving gear 13 and the ratchet sector 12 backward at a faster angular velocity than that of the all! gear sector 15, but since the pawl 21 has been raised out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet sector the latter is per? mitted to pass. Where the step by step op eration is employed, therefore, the operator is limited in his forward direction to a step by step movement, whereas in a return direction the controller is moved rapidly with a continuous movement.

If it is desired to operate the controller with a continuous movement of the handle in both directions the handle 36 is moved to the dotted position (Fig. 4) so as to hold the pawl in Fig. 2 in a raised position. The operator in moving forward, therefore, may now move the handle until the stop 24E engages the end of the gear sector and then by employing pressure to the handle 10 the gear sector will be moved forward by the stop and the controller moved forward through the pinion 16. This movement will be at a relatively high rateof-speed because of the higher gear ratio between the gear sector 15 and the pinion 16 and obviously the operator must apply more pressure to the handle to effect this operation. The return movement of the controller is the same as that above described.

It will thus be seen that I have provided acontroller in which a step by step operation is forced upon the operator or which if desired may be adjusted to permit a continuous rapid movement of the controller. Either mode of operation may be selected. "While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisionsof the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

"What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A controller for electric motors comprising a controlling member an operating member therefor, means whereby a reciproeating movement of the operating member causes a step by step forward movement of thecontrolling member over a predetermined range and means whereby a continuous forward movement of the operating member causes a continuous forward movement of the controlling member oversaid range.

2. A controller for electric motors comprising a controlling member anoperating member therefor, means whereby a reciprocating movement of the operating member causes a step by step movement of the controlling member over a predetermined range and means whereby a continuous movement of the operating member causes a continuous movement of the controlling member over said range at a higher rate of speed than in the step by step movement for a given speed of the operating member.

3. A controller for electric motorscomprising a controlling member an operating member geared thereto at two different gear ratios and means whereby a reciprocating movement of the operating member drives the controlling member at one gear ratio and a continuous movementof the operating member drives the controlling member atthe otherratio.

4. A controller for electric motors comprising a controlling member an operating member geared thereto at two different gear ratios and means whereby a reciprocating movement of the operating member drives the controlling member in one direction at one gear ratio and a continuous movement of the operating member drives the controlling member in the opposite direction at the other gear ratio.

5. A controller for electric motors com prising an operating. member, a controlling member, a ratchet and pawl connection between the operating member and the controlling member for driving the controlling iember in one direction and means whereby a continuous movement of the operating member renders the ratchet and pawl drive inoperative and causes a continuous movementv of the controlling member.

6. A controller for electric'motors comprising a controlling member, an operating member having a lost motion geared driving connection therewith and means whereby a reciprocating movement of the operating member within the range of the lost motion causes a stepby step movement of the controllinomember at a gear ratio which differs from t rat of the lost motion drive.

7. A controller for electric motors comprising a controlling member, two gears secured thereto, a driving gear for each of said gears, an operating member, a lost motiondriving connection between the operating member andone of said driving gears anda ratchet and pawl driving connection operable within the range of the lost motion between the operating member and the other driving gear.

8. A controller for electric motors comprising a controlling member, an operating member having a lost motion driving connection therewith, means whereby a reciproeating movement of the operating member within the range of the lost motion causes a. step by step movement of the controlling member and means whereby the'movement of the operating member may be either limited to the reciprocating movement or may effect a movement of the controlling member through the lost motion driving connection.

9. A controller for electric motors co1nprising a controlling member, two gears socarecl thereto each having a cooperating gear for driving the" controlling member at clifieront gear ratios, a lost motion driving connection between the operating member and the gear having the higher gear ratio, a ratchet and pawl driving connection, operable within the range of the lost motion, be tween the operating ineniher and the other driving gear and means for rendering the ratchet and pawl connection inoperable when the lostmotion has been taken up anti the controlling member is driven atthe high gear ratio. V

10. A, controller for electric motors comprising a. controlling member, two gears secured thereto, a driving gear meshing with one of said gears at relatively high gear ratio, a driving gear meshing with the other gear at a lower gear ratio, lost motion connection between the operating member rid the operating gear having the high gear ratio, a ratchet and pawl connection, operable w-ithin the range of the lost motion, be-

prising a controlling member,

tween the operating member and the other operating gear filHl'lllGfiUS for moving the pawl out of operative relation when the iost motion has been taken up and the controller is driven at the high gear ratio.

11. A controller for electric motors conian operating member therefor, nieans whoreb a reciprocating movement of the operatin nieinber causes it to advance a step on each reciprocation and more the controller a corresponding step, a pawl movable with the operating ineniber, a member he g teeth arranged to be engaged by the p. .rl. to stop the movement of the operating member and means advancing with the controlling member for lifting the pawl out of engaging relation wlth the teeth in the ba-clrwaro movement of the operative member so that the pawl will be released in a more advanced position and engage a succeeding tooth at each reciprocation.

In witness whereof, 1 have hereunto set my hand this llth clay of August, 1918.

' CLARENCE T; (TROCKER. 

